OK, everyone wants to know about how Maryland’s quarterback derby is going.
This afternoon, it was “so-so.”
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So said coach Ralph Friedgen, who added “I don’t think any of them had one of their better days.”
Ralph went ahead and re-iterated a psuedo-target time of late next week to make a call on that. It’s subject to change. Of course.
The truth on the QBs: It won’t be decided for a while unless catastrophe strikes. So don’t worry about it just yet, especially without a scrimmage in the books yet.
* In fact, the most important moment of the day might have been Obi Egekeze‘s 45-yard field goal early in practice that relieved the offense of some of its running chores after practice. Egekeze was quickly mobbed by teammates, and even had a celebratory mid-air bump with offensive coordinator James Franklin.
For the record, Franklin didn’t get the better end of the exchange, but was still clearly stoked about the outcome.
As for Obi, he just walked by in the lobby of the team house. “Gotta make deadline, gotta make deadline,” he joked as I pecked away. He already made his. So just how big a hero was he in the locker room afterward. “Real big,” he said with a grin.
* Defensive end Mack Frost, who underwent knee surgery last fall, was given the day off. Ralph wants to keep him fresh throughout camp and not re-aggravate anything, and after four straight days of practice Frost had a lighter day. He scurried around in one of the Terps’ snazzy new green non-contact jerseys.
* If there was a disappointment during spring practice, it probably was junior nose tackle Travis Ivey. He figured to be a starter at nose tackle, but fell behind both Bemi Otulaja and Dion Armstrong by the time mid-April arrived.
Seems like the obvious message was received. Ivey has moved past Armstrong for second at the position, but the compact Otulaja —- a gregarious senior who has been talked up as much as anyone around the program —- remains the starter at this juncture.
—- Patrick Stevens
